Final Fantasy VIII: Dark Horizons
by penpreston
Summary: Squall goes missing but will Rinoa be able to find him before she finds her world plunged into chaos. Hope everyone enjoys and please R&R.
1. Prologue

Prologue

The sterile white room was suffocating her, it's atmosphere oppressive, pushing down on her mind and soul. The weight of the fear quickening her heart and making it harder to breathe, her lungs only drawing in short, sharp mouthfuls of air that were barely enough to sustain her. _Maybe it would be better to give up_ she thought as she battled the urge to scream and to panic. There was no point, there was no escape, no more chances. As she resigned herself to her fate her mind flashed back to the beginning of her journey and a waltz under the watchful stars with a mysterious warrior. Then the faces of the friends she had gained over the previous weeks were in her mind and each was twisted into expressions of fear and revulsion except for one stoically remaining neutral except maybe she saw, no she couldn't have seen just a hint of disappointment in those steel eyes. The steel eyes of the man she had fallen in love with after all of the conflict they had faced together. The steel eyes of the man who had always fought for what he wanted and yet had let her be taken away without batting an eye. She had thought that he had felt the same as she, that he had changed with her, become more open but she realised with a twist of pain in her heart that he had not. She had been rejected by her friends and treated as a pariah by her captors.

The scientists were checking their equipment once more in preparation for sealing her away from the rest of the world forever. After that she would be placed into space to stop anyone from reviving her. One of the scientists' eyes happened to catch hers for a second and she desperately tried to hold his gaze just for the briefest of feelings of human contact but her doggedly turned away as if a look itself would kill him. She could see that the man was physically shaken from the experience as he tightly gripped a nearby rail, his knuckles turning white with the strain. She could see one of his colleagues say something to him before placing a hand on his shoulder and guiding him to the door. She didn't understand it herself but maybe she reasoned, she was as dangerous as these men thought she was. The best solution was to seal her away forever.

A countdown began somewhere, booming noise which was impossible for her to decipher. She felt a cold, tingling sensation in her toes as the sealing device began powering up causing her heart rate to soar partly in terror and partly with a desperate hope that she might be saved from this horrifying fate yet. As the great rolling countdown continued the coldness continued through her feet and started up her legs but she ignored it as her mind raced through preposterous and ill-thought of rescues. Her thoughts always flashing back to her friends and in particular the introverted, brooding warrior with the scar across his face. _Maybe _she thought urgently _maybe he does love me. Maybe he will come for me!_ But as the numbness spread up her thighs that sliver of hope became smaller and smaller to her. Just as that final sliver of hope extinguished itself in the turmoil of her mind the process was complete. She effectively ceased to exist.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Low Road To Recovery**

Drenched in sweat Rinoa Heartilly woke with a start. The details of the nightmare were slipping away from her as she grasped at the pieces disappearing into the ether of her mind. As she sat on the edge of the bed she felt a cold drop of sweat carve it's way from the nape of her neck and down her bare back to the base of her spine as a chill enveloped her. She shivered violently as she was overwhelmed by a wave of intense loneliness and despair, the left over's of a soul shattering dream. She sat with her head in her hands for a while before pushing the strands of hair that were stuck to her face out of her eyes, all the while turning to look at the empty space in the bed where her Knight Squall Leonheart should be.

Rinoa had accompanied Squall to Winhill three days ago before told her that he need a few days alone to come to terms with his recently learned history and with that he had gently kissed her on the forehead before turning and leaving her in the hold of the Ragnarok. She had dreamt the same dream every night since he had gone, the separation from her Knight and lover wearing her down. She knew that it was only temporary but the bond between them had grown hugely since she had found him despairing and almost dead in the depths of compressed time after the final battle with Ultimecia and so she couldn't help but feel the hollowness in her chest where Squall belonged.

Eventually she stood and dragged herself over to the on-suite bathroom for a shower. She turned the handle and sat down on the toilet seat lid waiting for the water to heat up, Steam started the fog up the mirror and so Rinoa stood, removed her nightwear and stepped into the blistering heat, the pressure of the water pounding into her skin as she allowed herself to slip into blissful oblivion for a few moments. When Rinoa stepped out of the shower she drew her hand across the mirror revealing a slightly blurred reflection as she noticed her skin flush with the heat. She wrapped the towel around her body and went to the window in the bedroom, a thick layer of frost obscured most of her view but she could make out the looming silhouette of Trabia Garden in the pale morning sun. Another chill rose through her body as she thought about the atrocities committed in her predecessor Edea Kramer's body whilst she had been under the influence of Ultimecia. Then she remembered the horrors that she had been forced to create when that same evil presence had used her body for it's dark purposes.

* * *

'Heeey don't look so sad me and Irvy are-'

'Do you mind not calling me that darlin'? You know it annoys me,' interrupted Irvine Kinneas in his lazy drawl. The sharpshooter was casually leaning back in his chair with his feet crossed on the table and his hat pulled down over his face.

'That's why it do it dear,' Selphie Tilmitt glared at him. 'And keep your feet of the table,' and with that she pushed his legs up over his head making him lose his balance as the chair tipped backwards with Irvine barrelling out of it before banging into one of the pillars of Balamb cafeteria. With a look of childish satisfaction on her face she turn back to Rinoa grinning wildly. 'Anyway as I was saying we're taking the Rag down tomorrow to pick him, just like he said. And you never know we might have him back in time for a nice romantic dinner,' she winked.

'Yeah, I 'spose,' came the weak smile form Rinoa.

'Oooouch! Selph was that really necessary?' Irvine complained as he slowly stood back up rubbing his head with one hand while the other held his hat.

'No…but it was fun,' she giggled in reply, turning to her friend she said. 'Rinoa we'll have to catch you later, Irvine has aloooot of making up to do before we get to work.' With that she grabbed Irvine's Stetson and ran out of the cafeteria. Irvine stood in shock for a moment before regaining his senses. He looked at Rinoa who was gazing uninterestedly at her bowl of cereal before giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

'I guess it's all work and no play huh?' was he parting shot before shaking his head and chasing after Selphie.

Rinoa's mood had alleviated slightly during her friends energetic performance but she wasn't in the mood to contemplate their 'making' up and continued to prod her cereal with her spoon. It had already turned to a horrible mush and she hadn't been all that hungry to begin with, unconsciously her hand went up to her necklace which had her mother ring and the ring she had asked Zell Dincht in this very room to somehow swindle off of Squall. Her hands nimbly traced the impression in its surface, Griever. Not thinking of anything in particular she continued to finger the thick silver band for a moment before getting up to leave. She took her tray to the cleaning area and left for the front gate before the long trek to the partially rebuilt Trabia Garden.

* * *

Coming in from the fierce winds and blinding snow of the Bika Snowfield Rinoa found herself in the recently rebuilt entrance hall of Trabia Garden. Despite the fact that the power would not be turned on until the work on the rest of the Garden was finished the temporary working lamps and the brightly painted surfaces made the entrance feel warm, and for the students there safe again. As Rinoa scanned the large expanse her eyes fell on an incongruous design choice, the old Garden symbol half destroyed and dark with burn marks had been given pride of place directly opposite the doors to serve as a symbol of the resilience of Trabia Garden as well as a warning for the exact same reason. Despite the fact that it had been before she herself had become a Sorceress, the actions of her predecessor (possessed or not) caused a wave of guilt to rise from the pit of her stomach as she stared at the charred remains of the old building. She could feel her cheeks burning as the students moving about the hall started to notice her standing there, the fear filled eyes around her filling her with shame at what she had become. It was easier when Squall was with her, no one dared question him especially where Rinoa was concerned but when he had gone to Winhill the fear of reprisal had disappeared as the accusatory looks and insulting whispers had started. Taking a deep breath Rinoa calmed her nerves before she started moving towards the Library where she had been working with Zell.

All week Rinoa had been trying to help Zell build the shelving for the library but found she had no aptitude for carpentry and had spent most of her time holding wood for Zell to either saw or hammer into place. She had also helped the library girl with the pigtail with organizing the stores of books that had been accumulating, Rinoa had initially been glad to have some female company to talk to but Zell's girlfriend was surprisingly shy.

'AHHHH HYNE DAMMIT!' came a shout form behind one of the shelves as Rinoa walked through the door.

'What's wrong Zell?' asked the obviously exasperated librarian.

'Hit my damn finger again,' he explained poking his head around the corner. 'That's the third time today for f…oh Rinoa when did you get here?'

'Just now.' She giggled as Zell plonked himself cross-legged on the floor with his finger in his mouth.

'Oh, well I don't really need any help today I'm just putting the finishing touches up.'

'Great I feel like a loose end without Squall here as it is. Now what should I do?'

'Ummm…well you could…' Zell was getting flustered as he tried to think of a way to make Rinoa feel better after he had once again opened his mouth without thinking.

'I could use some help with these books. If you wouldn't mind of course,' chirped the quiet voice of the librarian.

'Great idea Tiff!' Zell started grinning wildly at his girlfriend for saving him from embarrassing himself any further.

'They're all in a real mess I'm afraid so you'll just have to grab a box and go from there.'

Rinoa quickly smiled in acknowledgement before crouching next to a box to pull the tape off the top. She started organizing the books while the girl was talking about her favourites and Zell carried back on with his shelves. After a while Rinoa started to wonder what the couple saw in each other, Tiff was incredibly shy unless she was talking about books and when she wasn't working she spent her whole time doting on Zell while he spent his whole time…well being Zell. She felt that they were the complete opposites of each other and just couldn't understand their attraction for each other, it was then she realised that they weren't that different from her and Squall.

Rinoa didn't notice that the book she was holding had fallen from her lap until she heard the dull thump of it hitting the floor. This broke her reverie and as she bent down to pick it up she noticed the title 'The Sorceress' Knight'. The book was ornately decorated and exceptionally heavy but despite its weight it had fallen open, its spine bulging outwards. Rinoa picked up the book and felt compelled to look at the open page. Outlined in front of her was the reason for the very first Sorceress War from many millennia ago, a war that had long been forgotten.

'Umm could you guys excuse me please, I…I really need to go,' she exclaimed as she rushed for the door. She ran out of the library and back through the corridor towards the expansive entrance hall when she suddenly flew into a group of SeeD Cadets.

'Hey what do you thin-' started a strongly built well man before he recognised the girl and stared at her with wide eyes brimming with fear. 'S…s….s….sorceress…'

Hating that the young man was scared of her but feeling very self-conscious Rinoa muttered her apologies before dashing off once again for the entrance. Outside the wind had stopped but had deposited a large amount of snow in between the two Gardens before it had died down. After wading through the thick layer of snow she eventually made it back to Balamb Garden. She headed straight for the elevator to take her up to her and Squalls room before slamming the door and slumping on the floor in exhaustion, book held tight to her chest. When her breath came back she pushed off the floor and made her way to the rooms desk. Although she was tempted to re-read the section she had in the library, Rinoa decided to find the start of the story and take it from the beginning.

_Authors Notes: Well here is my re-done Prologue and Chapter 1. I will be working on the rest over the next week and should hopefully get them up soon but I have decided that it would be sensible for me to take more time with my writing in the future as I was missing out on a lot of good character and place description. Hope you enjoy verion 2.0._

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything which is the IP of Square Enix and that is for the rest of the story as well.  
_


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Origins

A young girl knelt on the cold marble floor of a high-vaulted antechamber, her head bowed in contemplation as the ordained members of the Hynian Priesthood slowly circled her, languidly swinging censors back and forth as they spilt their heady incense like the tendrils of smoke from the mouth of a dragon. The heady aroma was overwhelming and the girl was having to control her breathing so as not to cough and disturb the deathly silence of the consecration ceremony that she was the centre of. The room was a gleaming white circle of marble with no decorative flourishes except for simple silver gilt moving in concentric circles towards the girl herself. It was in complete contrast to the ornately embroidered crimson robes of the Priests. The girl herself was wearing a sheer white shroud, a symbol of her willingness to give her mind, body and soul to the process of the Witches Embodiment and spend the rest of her days guarded by Priests and Knights to ensure that the powers of the Sorceress are forever kept locked away. She couldn't help thinking about her path through life that had led her here.

The girl had actually been taken from one of the many Priesthood sponsored orphanages that were scattered all over Centra when she was still a small child as a possible candidate to receive the fabled powers of the Goddess-Witch Of Centra. For the past thirteen years she had lived in a nunnery who's only goal was the increasing of latent magical abilities in the girls who lived within its high walls. When the girl first came to the nunnery she had enjoyed the live given to her as she was taught how to harness basic magic's which she used to encourage flowers to bloom and allow animals to follow her simple desires, she didn't care about what might be beyond the obsidian parapets of the nunnery the world of magic fascinated her so. But as she grew older and heard the stories of the outside world from the birds that flew to her she grew tired of the beautiful gardens and the politics of the other hopefuls. She tried finding ways out but was thwarted each time, her beautiful prison was inescapable.

During one winter she had tried a particularly brazen escape attempt but had been caught nonetheless and as a punishment had been put to work in the kitchens for a month. This meant being up before dawn to help prepare breakfast and not going back to bed until after dusk when the kitchen was cleaned to the standards of the nuns. The work was hard menial labour and as a result her hands quickly became calloused and she acquired many burns on her arms from splashes of fat from the pans yet she quickly found a reason to be glad of her incarceration. One of the other young acolytes had been sent to the kitchens as well though she never found out what the other girls crime was. It didn't matter to her, she was just glad to have found someone who was a kindred spirit in the nunnery, someone to laugh with and to share her secrets with. Whenever they thought that the staff weren't looking they would sneak off to talk and play although they would invariably get caught and be given the cane. One morning she as she ran towards the kitchen to start work she heard a noise down one of the corridors, out of curiosity she stop and peered down the dark tunnel as a small group of people came out of one of the adjoining rooms. The was a struggle taking place in the middle of the group as the adults pushed and pulled whoever was causing the trouble. Suddenly her only friend in the world was running towards her with a panicked expression on her face and her hand outstretched to grab the young girls hand. For a brief second their fingers clasped together and the girl saw the fire light of the corridor glint purple in her friends dark blue eyes before she was cruelly pulled away by the strong grown-ups. A Priest stood in front of the acolyte, barring her way as her friend was dragged away. Once she had been calmed down and put back in her room the girl decided that whatever fate befell her friend she couldn't allow it to happen to her. She fell into her studies and stopped all attempts to leave the nunnery.

When she reached her mid-teens she taught the history of the world and more specifically the history of the Sorceress' and how they had once threatened all of mankind with their powers when a small group of warrior monks had captured every Sorceress in the world, forcing them to embody their powers into the vessel of one pure bodied girl who was untouched by man and unsullied of thought. That first girl was then imprisoned in the high tower of this very nunnery so that the Witches power would never again threaten the world and the tradition born of the First was echoed through the centuries. And now that power was to be passed to her and as those who came before her she would spend the remainder of her life locked away. Never again to know the smell of spring grass, feel the warm summer sun on her neck or feel the cool patter of rain on her face. She would also never know the love of a man, not that she understood what that meant she chided herself mentally. She would also never again have a friend like she'd had all those years ago working in the kitchen.

She snapped out of her daydream as the Priests came close to finishing their prayers. At the correct moment of the ceremony the girl stood with practised grace, lowering the hood of her sheer veil and waited as eunuch servants came over to her and reverently removed the pure white garment from her body leaving her vulnerable to the eyes of the men around her. She stepped forward solemnly towards the handmaidens waiting in front of the corridor leading to the Sorceress' chambers. The handmaidens took a single bladed razor to her skin and as she felt its keen edge scratch gently across her skin the attendants removed all hair from her head and body. They then cleansed her body with consecrated holy waters and rubbed scented oils and unguents into her skin. She was ready.

The girl once again moved forwards in measured steps into the mouth of the dark corridor, eyes fixed on the heavy set doors in front of her. She could feel the pressure of her destiny pushing down on her but not once did she falter in her precisely paced steps nor did she look behind her. To do so would have brought a swift death upon her as the perfectly muscled and highly trained warrior monks that flanked either side of her would have seen it as a sign of unworthiness and killed her where she stood. She did however remember that the function of these monks was not only to protect the Sorceress inside her chambers but perhaps more importantly to keep the Sorceress from escaping her confinement. Doubts and fears were still poisoning her mind as she passed through the procession and towards the gateway to her future.

The door itself was covered in a baroque relief depicting Sorceress' tearing men apart with their magical powers and copulating with others as they drained the life force of their victims, all while images of demons danced around the door laughing and more often than not joining in the horror. As she drew closer still she felt a strange sensation that she was at once being repelled and pulled towards the door as if it was reacting to her presence and sure enough the massive iron edifice began to open away from her, bleeding an azure light through the ever widening crack. The girl thought that everybody must be able to hear her heart beating it was working so hard, but she steeled herself and turned to the last monk in the corridor who handed her a delicate but unadorned silver dagger. Gravely she returned her attention to the door and walked through.

The chamber she had walked into was breath taking. A dark ceiling bejewelled with glowing orbs of light ranging from brilliant blue to fading pink much like the night sky she remembered as a child in the gardens of the nunnery. The artificial stars lead the way to white sheet screen that partially obscured the high backed throne beyond. The rest of the room was adorned with handsomely made furniture cushioned in a whole array of materials and colours. The girl was so taken with the room that the voice to her left startled her.

'Welcome child. I understand you are here to give me the release I desire.'

_Author's notes: I've added some extra plotpoints to this chapter which may seem inconsiquential but will be important to it as a whole. Specifically the friend and the trainee sorceress' reaction to the door but i won't say anymore at the moment. Please R&R I hope you all enjoy.  
_


	4. Chapter 3

_Authors Note: Just to clear things up for those who started reading this after I began to change things I will be running two stories parallel to each other one based around the FF8 cast and one around a whole group of OC's. The stories are separated by a large time gap but are going to be thematically similar. Kind of like the story structure of Use Of Weapons by Iain M. Banks. And Balamb is currently stationed near Trabia _J_. Once again I hope you all enjoy._

Chapter 3: A Flight Of Destiny

Rinoa adjusted her weight slightly as the Ragnarok hit a small patch of turbulence. She had taken a quick tour of the ship to reacquaint herself with the vessel that had saved not only herself but the man she loved from suffocating as they drifted in space. Being on the ship again had brought back the memories of when Ultimecia had released Rinoa from her control only to find that she was alone in space with only a few minutes of air left. She hadn't panicked or felt frightened just forlorn as she contemplated how her life had changed since that dance at Balamb Garden with the proud and remote young SeeD with the scar on his forehead. She had laughed to herself when she thought of that moment and how it was the start of their journey together. She had thought about what Squall would do now, about whether he knew that she had been possessed and if he would figure out a way of stopping that evil presence that had pushed her mind inside her body. She had thought about how she felt that she had grow to love Squall and wondered if he had felt the same. She had wondered whether he would forget her.

Rinoa was suddenly jerked out of her reverie by the sound of the Ragnarok's intercom system announcing that the pilot had something to say.

'Irvine, Rinoa I need you to come to the bridge right away I think we have an emergency!' called Selphie the sense of urgency clear in her voice. Rinoa was in the lower cargo hold when the announcement came through so she bounded up the steps to the main deck then through the door to the corridor where the lift to the flight deck was situated.

'Rinoa,' called Irvine as he burst through the door to the right of the elevator. 'What's happening? I was getting some shut eye when Selph piped up on the comm.'

'I don't know, we better get up there,' she replied as she clambered onto the lift. She could feel her heart racing as she imagined what she would find when the lift stopped. Everything had seemed to slow down with the journey up seeming to last forever. When she finally came into view they found Selphie flipping switches and adjusting controls on the flight computer, busy keeping the giant red dragon in the air and somehow she noticed them.

'Thank Hyne you're here we have a serious situation.' She pointed out the starboard viewing port. Rinoa and Irvine rushed the window to see a large cloud of black ash welling up from the remains of a small village.

'No is that-'

''Fraid so.'

'But Squall's d-'

'I'm sure he's fine,' the edge of concentration saturating Selphie's voice as she brought the stern of the ship about to face the flaming remains of Winhill. With the view of the village obscured by the angle of the ship and the thick black smoke Rinoa ran off towards the elevator a look of blind terror scrawled across her face and before the other two could react she was on her way down to the cargo hold. Irvine glanced at Selphie as she started to land the Ragnarok.

'Make sure she doesn't do anything reckless! I'm going to call for back-up,' she called over her shoulder.

'Will do,' he waved as he headed for the returning elevator.

'Balamb Garden! Balamb Garden! This is the Ragnarok do you copy? Over.'

'Selphie this Nida, what's the problem?'

'Nida I need you to contact the White Seed Ship and get them over to Winhill ASAP, we have a situation and we might need back-up.'

'Copy that Selphie they are just south of Humphrey Archipelago they should be with you in 2 hours. Can you cope until then?'

'We'll have to,' Selphie exclaimed grimly. 'Thanks Nida over and out!'

Irvine had caught up to Rinoa just as Selphie landed the Ragnarok. She already had the ramp down and was about to run out when she heard him call out to her.

'Wait Rinoa,' he shouted over the noise of the huge engines as they began to idle, ready for a sudden take off should they need it. 'You can't just go running in there we don't know what's happened yet. Selphie's calling for back-up we should wait.'

'I can't, something might have happened to Squall I need to find him,' the wind blowing her hair about her face as she screamed over the noise and she turned and ran off into the billowing smoke. _Dammit_ he thought to himself as he chased her down the ramp.

He blindly stumbled through the smoke with his hand over his mouth trying to avoid breathing in the noxious fumes. He kept running seeing the vague shapes of buildings on either side until the smoke began to clear. As the wind changed direction the smoke bean to clear and Irvine could see the ruins of buildings collapsing into themselves as the fire damage took hold. One thing he was glad of was that there were no bodies in the street, he didn't like the idea of dealing with the corpses of stranger let alone the possibility of being the one to find Squall. He did not have the stomach for that kind of thing. Rinoa however was not paying attention to the destruction around her, she was too desperately focused on finding her lover. She was about a hundred feet in front of Irvine running through the main street of Winhill calling out Squall's name when she reached the end of the track and stopped dead.

Rinoa was staring at a space to her right, a look of absolute dread on her face. _Oh no she's found him_ Irvine thought as he got closer. When he had finally caught up with Rinoa he was standing right behind her. Irvine allowed his eyes to follow the direction of Rinoa's pain filled eyes and saw what she had seen, a glint of silver in front of a small and simple slab of stone. His first thought was that there was no sign of Squall for which he was grateful but when he turned back Rinoa had collapsed to her knees with her head in her hands and her shoulders shaking violently. As a low bitter sob was released he understood she was crying.

It was only then that he realised that the glint of silver had been Squalls' gunblade embedded into the ground.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Taking Up the Knife

'Welcome child. I understand you are here to give me the release I desire,' came an ethereal voice to the girls left, a voice that was old with the years and wisdom it carried and yet young in its delivery. Struck speechless the girl faced the direction the voice had come from to find her antecedent propped up on a bench, the green cushions embroidered with gold. The Sorceress was herself unclothed and unlike the girl who had become horribly aware of her own nudeness, was completely at ease with her own body. The Sorceress' green eyes seemed to pierce her to the depths of her soul.

'There is no need to be self-conscious child, it is just you and I.'

'My Lady,' came the girls meek reply. 'I am here the free you from this mortal coil.' The girl bowed deeply.

'Yes, but we have time yet. Come sit. Let us talk a spell.' The girl found herself perturbed by the old crones informalities but felt compelled to sit. 'Why are you so shocked my child that I should wish to talk afore I pass my powers unto you, death scares me as much any person. If not more so.'

'I apologize My Lady it is wholly unexpected. I do not mean to make a fool of myself,' she explained as she sat on a stool opposite the ancient Sorceress. The old woman smiled slightly as she leaned back once again on the bench regaining a more comfortable position.

'Do not worry yourself girl there is only me in this room to judge you and I am far to old for that. Instead tell me a bit of the castle gardens, it has been so many years since I have seen them.'

'Thank you My Lady. I'm afraid it has been a long while since I myself have seen the gardens but I shall tell you what I remember.' So the girl recited all she could of the gardens she had spent so much time in as a child. From the sight of a small flower first blooming to the smell of the ripe fruits that hung from the trees and the sounds of the animals flying and crawling and buzzing throughout the fragranced air. By the time the girl had finished the Sorceress had closed eyes and a sad smile on her face.

'Such a shame I shall not experience such simple pleasures again before I die. Alas but that is my fate.' The woman started to push herself onto her elbows when she called out to the her young protégé with a wry smirk, ' Help an old witch up will you child, I am almost ready and I'm not as supple as I once was.' The girl quickly covered the distance between her seat and the bench the Sorceress had been reclining on and pushed the woman from the shoulders into a seated position.

'You have and interesting life ahead of you child and you may yet see beyond these walls.'

'My Lady what do you mean?'

'Times are changing although it is beyond me in what manner, but I do sense that this dreadful cycle I have spent my life in my be broken in the coming years. The cracks are already showing and you need to be ready to pry them open should the opportunity come.'

'I…I…I do not understand My Lady what-'

'Listen to me carefully child for there is little time left. The Priesthood have grown weary over their thousand year vigil, they are not as…deadly as they once were. All the same if you are to escape this prison you will need strong convictions and plenty of courage, for it will still be a difficult flight and a harder life after.'

'Yes My Lady,' the girl replied unsure whether to take in what the Sorceress had said or to dismiss it as the ramblings of an old woman. Neither were palatable options.

Whilst they had been talking the old woman had lead the girl to a marble basin which she stood in.

'Are you ready child, to take my life and receive my powers?' The Sorceress said gravely. The look of doubt in the girls eyes disappeared replaced by a steely determination to take her place as the most powerfully impotent woman in the world.

'Yes,' came the stoic reply.

'Good. Then take my left hand in your right and ready the knife in your other.' The women arranged themselves as the elder had instructed.

'Do it child give me release.'

With that the girl plunge the silver dagger in her left hand into the belly of the old Sorceress of Centra.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Visions

'The area is secured Selphie,' stated the tall, calm captain of the White SeeD's. 'I doubt that whomever attacked this village will return.'

'Thank you Captain…have your team found anything that might tell us what-' Selphie stopped abruptly, unsure whether she had the heart to finish her sentence.

'No I'm afraid they have had no luck with their investigation so far.' He sensed the young SeeD's reluctance and knew that she was asking about Squall, 'and I'm afraid we won't know anymore until the survivor recovers somewhat…I have to say that I am glad that President Loire allowed you to keep the Ragnarok because as skilled as we may be, without the medical facilities on board the man would be dead by now.'

'I think you may be right Captain. How is he by the way?'

'His injuries were severe and even now he might not survive in the long run, not to mention the psychological effects of seeing his home wiped out should he pull through, but we are doing our best and now we can only hope. How is the Sorceress?' as neutrally as the man had asked the question the hidden threat that he would do whatever necessary to protect his people from an emotionally distressed Sorceress was all too clear to Selphie.

'She hasn't moved since we got here. But I wouldn't worry Captain I think as long as she is left alone until she is ready she won't be a threat to your-' before Selphie could finish her sentence a soul-wrenching scream coming from Rinoa's direction rent the thick hot air, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.

* * *

Irvine had watched Rinoa when she had first discover Squall's gunblade, collapsing to the floor wailing in pain and fury. She had not stopped until her body could take the outpouring of grief no more and her cries became intermittent sobs. The entire time Irvine had said nothing but kept his finger on the trigger and his eyes on the horizon wary for another attack. He scanned the debris and smoking ruins, all that remained of the once picturesque village, the crumbling walls and burnt fields suggested a large scale battle to Irvine's hawk eyes. He saw deep furrows in the walls that looked like they had been made by the apex on Squall's gunblade and wondered if most of the damage had happened as he defended himself from unknown attackers but that didn't seem right, as skilled a warrior his friend was, the destruction of Winhill seemed more like a scorched earth tactic from the mysterious assailants. To Irvine it seemed like gross overkill.

When the White SeeD ship had arrived Irvine continued to stand guard over Rinoa's seemingly catatonic form, his manner advising others to stay away. After the SeeD's had established a secure perimeter they started clearing the rubble and began the search for survivors. He knew that they had found someone amongst the bricks of the mansion at the far end of the village when he saw a dark shape being lifted away to the Ragnarok. Even then he did not move from his self-imposed sentinel duty. This was for two reasons, the first was that he knew that Squall would not be found in Winhill either dead or alive, the second was that he was not protecting Rinoa from the SeeD but was rather protecting the White SeeD from the young sorceress whose lover and Knight had disappeared.

About an hour later he caught sight of Selphie walk through the ruins of the town with the captain as he briefed her on the current situation. He noted her serious expression with a sly smile as he thought about how much she had matured in the months following Ultimecias demise. Yes she could still be childish at times but she had grow with it and had even learned to control her occasionally inappropriate remarks. He could see even from the distance away that he was the look of horror on her face as she turned towards Irvine seconds after Rinoa's scream assaulted his ears.

* * *

Rinoa was overcome by a desire to touch Squalls gunblade, to hold something of his so as to ground herself in reality because all that had happened so far felt unreal and detached from real life to her. She had to be sure it wasn't all just a dream. She slowly stood from her position on the floor, the blood rushing back to her legs after so long stationary caused her head to spin but she pushed through it and took a step forward. The ground underneath her feet seemed rough and unsteady as her second step completed its journey and her balance was thrown to the side. Rinoa managed to kept herself upright as her vision tunnelled onto the shining weapon in front of her, she was aware of the acrid tang of the smouldering buildings on her tongue and the sound of people working around her but she could not focus on them. Only her Knights gunblade mattered. She stumbled forward still with her hand stretched out in front of her willing herself to reach for the black grip of the steel revolver. Her vision blurred as another wave of dizziness fell across her, the blood was starting to pound in her legs as feeling returned to them. Pushing blindly on she felt the grip of the weapon hit the back of her palm and she clasped her fingers tightly around it.

She didn't hear the scream as it ripped out of her lungs because her mind was awash with images of Squall fighting to defend himself and his birth village from waves of horrifying monsters that assaulted him. Every cut received answered by a powerful strike from his gunblade but his strength waned with every wound he received, every cut burning the other half of his soul as Rinoa relived each moment through his eyes. She could feel their arms reverberating with each block, parry, riposte and attack, and she could feel the gradual setting in of exhaustion as their legs trembled under the physical duress of such sustained battle. Most of all she could feel their sense of shame at the inevitability of them falling in combat as adrenaline wore off and the pain and fatigue set in. She felt a blow from behind and the ground meeting them as they fell. She waited for death to come but the monsters moved away from them replaced instead by the sound of heavy robes near their head. She managed to open their eyes one final time to see the flurry of a deep red hem as it moved away from them. She could feel unconsciousness bearing down on her, the will to fight drained from her body she gave herself to oblivion and the world turned black.

Rinoa slowly felt herself come round, a bustle of activity surrounding her. She could hear vague voices directed at her, the words not quite making sense as the heavy cloud of comatose lifted slowly from her mind. Eventually she thought she heard somebody ask if she was okay and tried to reply but was hampered by a sliver of wood that had been pushed between her teeth. She tried lifting her arms but they weren't responding properly so she instead tried to push out the bit with her tongue. One of the darkened figures above her seemed to understand what she was trying to do and gently removed it from her mouth.

'Rin are you all right?' asked a soft female voice tinged with worry. 'You had a fit of some sort.'

'Selphie? What…what happened? Where am I?' Rinoa's reply was barely audible but it seemed that Selphie had heard her.

'Don't worry about that for now you need to rest some more. I'm going to give you a light sedative okay?'

Rinoa felt a slight scratch on her arm as Selphie inserted a hypodermic needle into her flesh. Weariness took over once again but unlike the searing hot pain from the injuries in her vision the sedative was a cooling relief.

She smiled weakly at Selphie and spoke in nothing more than a whisper one final time before sleep took its hold, 'He's alive…'


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: The Bleeding Martyred

Pain. Pain was all she had known for the few weeks since her ascent into nascent Godhood. Every nerve ending in her body burned with white fire as she fought to keep her newly acquired powers under control. It was a war of attrition. Even when her mind was serene her whole body constantly prickled with discomfort as the magic that now streamed in her blood adjusted itself to her physiology. Unfortunately for most of the time her mind was not peaceful in fact it raged, at the pain, at the fear, at the seclusion. She did not lacked for things to hate. However her tumultuous emotional being was one of the very reasons for the pain, every time her anger peaked or her loneliness drove her to despair, her unstable powers flared causing her body to be racked in blinding agony.

She knew that if she had not been in this room the transition would have been almost painless, it was her prison itself that was the source of this physical anguish. She remembered that from her lessons as an acolyte. She remembered but she had not been prepared, she couldn't have been prepared. Her tutors had explained the construction of her gilded cage and its purpose behind that. Not only was the room itself physically imposing in itself with meter thick walls of solid granite and only the one exit with a small highly trained army outside it, not to mention the commanding doors made of heavy iron barring her form the outside world, but the room was also sensitive to magic. It was the magic of the Sorceress that held the great doors shut and once an equilibrium with the room had been accomplished as a new candidate adjusted any rise in magical power would inflict burning pain. The equilibrium had not yet been established.

But that was what she wanted, she fuelled her pain, anger and despair so that the room would strike its balance with a higher threshold. In the interim however it didn't seem like such a good idea but she could no longer turn back on her decision as each second of piercing torture only threw more wood onto the fire. Sleep seldom came and when it did the experience was fleeting, even subconsciously her dreams would manifest as a spike in magic drenching her in blistering suffering. Her dreams were vivid things and she would often have visions of downy wings jutting from her shoulders only for her to wake up screaming surrounded by the same feathers from her mind. The borders of reality and fantasy were blurring, her sense of time had disappeared. All that made any sense was the pain and she held onto it. She craved it. Welcomed it.

It had happened suddenly, the lifting of her burden. Rather than the blistering heat of her skin and the searing cold running through her veins her blood felt warm again which flushed her cooling skin. She was surprised to find that she was still in the state of undress in which she had walked into the Sorceress' chamber to perform the necessary sacrifice. Despite her hazy memory of the past what she felt had to be weeks, she thought that she would have dressed herself. She tried to run her hand through her hair but she soon remembered the ritualistic removal of all of her hair as her hands touch only a short length of re-growth. Her mind had been twisted and turned and stretched and almost broken during her trial by fire so many of the things that had occurred slipped her mind or were in the wrong order in her head. She wanted to run through everything but she found herself shaking violently from the lack of food and decided that finding some nourishment would be her first action. Her eyes roamed over the chaos of her chambers taking note of the cloth hangings torn from the ceiling and the assortment of broken furniture until her eyes finally settled on a large dark oak table upon which sat a large bowl of fruits and plates of cold meats to the side. She hungrily licked her lips and swallowed the saliva that had built up before marching towards the feast in front of her. Reaching out the Sorceress snatched a shining green apple from the bowl and sunk her teeth into its tender flesh and ripped a chunk from the fruit. The Sorceress moaned softly as the sweet juices flowed into her mouth. As she started to chew the sweet nectar spilled out over her lip and made a course down her chin. The simple sensations garnered from eating the apple caused the corners of her lips to curl upwards as she swallowed the succulent pulp, wiping the sticky stream of fruit juice from her face she lay the apple back on the table with only one bite taken out of it. Instead she grabbed for a thin slice of slightly bloody cold beef, gripping a sizable portion in her mouth she tore the rest away in one savage movement, unlike with the apple she savoured the salty meat as she chewed. As she swallowed the meat she let out a thick, throaty laugh. Not yet contented she began to attack the food in earnest, taking bites of whatever came to hand first, some foods she knew and others that she didn't she tried, enjoying everything that the platter offered.

Some time after devouring the feast that had been before her the Sorceress had managed to make her way to the sanctuary beyond the main chamber, her attention was mainly drawn to the Queen sized bed which sat in the middle of the room but the room also accommodated a series of doors buried into the wall which she presumed were cabinets for clothes as well as a dressing area. Adjoining the room was a good sized bathing room but for now she need to rest, she needed time to sort out the mess of memories in her head and to digest the mass of food she had gorged on only a short while ago. Climbing between the cool silk sheets the Sorceress felt herself sink into the soft mattress inviting her to sleep in its comforting embrace. Her eyes were beginning to droop over her vision and she did not have the energy to fight her fatigue. As soon as her head rested on the plump pillow the battle was lost and she closed her eyes trying to reconnect her memories which had become lost in the fires of her initiation.

_A/N: Hope you enjoy this chapter. I know the effect of being in the room might be a little bit confusing but it will clear itself up as the story progresses. As for the paragraph dealing with the feast I don't mean for it to sound lemony if it comes across that way, it's suppose to just be a highly sensual and enjoyable experience for the sorceress, so please let me know how you think it came across. I'm also going to take this opportunity to thank my reviewers so far, so thank you _**rach981, crepusculo4ever and Fruity-Fruit-Cups. **


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Answers? Or Just More Questions!

'So…hang on…what you're saying is that when you touched Squalls gunblade you…wait what are you saying?' Selphie's furrowed brow betraying her sense of confusion as she tried to comprehend what Rinoa had said had happened when she had passed out.

'I think what she's tryin' to say Pumpkin is that she had a vision of what happened to Squall,' replied Irvine with a slight smirk on his face.

'Um,' began Rinoa, her hand unconsciously reaching for the two rings hanging from her necklace as she explained, 'I don't think it was just a vision, it was more…real than that. I think I was actually there sharing his body and I think he knew.'

'But how. How is that even possible?' Selphie asked. 'I mean are you sure you didn't just hit you head harder than we thought when you fell down?'

'Selphie!' Irvine warned through his teeth, glaring at his girlfriend.

'What?' she bit back at him. Rinoa seemed to ignore their exchange as she considered Selphie's earlier question, wondering herself how she could seemingly have her mind transported back in time so she could see through her Knights eyes…

'ELLONE!' came the shout from Rinoa as the pieces of the puzzle seemed to click into place. 'It must have been Ellone who sent me back, it felt just like how you guys used to describe it to me!' The excitement in her voice was obvious as she carried on, 'Yeah that has to be it. Okay I have to go and see her, she must be able to help me.' A small, polite cough distracted her train of thought as the Captain of the White SeeD made his presence known. He looked around the expansive hold of the Ragnarok as he walked up the ramp from outside, he found himself impressed at the scale of the vessel after spending so many years of his life aboard the relatively confined space of his ship.

'Excuse me for eavesdropping, but I feel that you may be jumping to conclusions prematurely,' Rinoa made a move to speak out but the Captain raised his hand, cutting her off, as he continued. 'I spent many years with Ellone on my ship as she grew up and as her powers developed. As such I can confidently say I know her better than most in this world. Ellone was an energetic girl to say the least and more prone to following her heart than using her head, especially when she used her powers to send our helmsman at the time back to his own past. We almost ran aground in one of the straits through the Centra Crater.' This garnered a chuckle of fond remembrance from the Captain.

'Is there a point to this Captain?' asked Selphie, venom infused in her voice as she remembered his not-threat to her friend earlier that day. He looked at her briefly, eyes signifying that he was back to the business at hand.

'Ellone was nine when she did that, she didn't fully understand the consequences of her actions at the time. However as she grew so did her comprehension of such things and she started to use her power when she felt like doing so less frequently. Eventually she stopped and only used it when she had a purpose for it. Such as during the war with Ultimecia-'

'I don't know. Seemed perdy random to me at the time,' interjected Irvine as he reached up to adjust his hat.

'Maybe but there was a purpose behind it. The point I'm trying to make is that she wouldn't have sent you back without a reason and the only reason she would do it, she doesn't know about.' Rinoa felt her heart sink as what the Captain had said sunk in, the logic of it was perfect but it had been her one lead and to have it shot down as it had been made her feel dejected. Once again her hand reached up to the two rings around her neck seeking comfort from the feel of her mothers delicate diamond engagement ring and the thicker, heavier band that was her Knights.

'But what could have caused it?' she asked as her eyes pleaded desperately at the Captain. He could not hold her gaze as she searched his face for the answers she needed.

'I don't know,' he admitted. 'Truth be told I wish it were as simple as asking Ellone, unfortunately things never are that easy. Look we are leaving soon and we are taking the survivor with us to the orphanage, he is stable at the moment but he needs time to convalesce. Matron agrees that it is the best place for him to do that. Matron also requested your presence Sorceress.'

'Me? But why does she wish to see me?'

'I'm afraid she didn't elaborate.' Turning towards Selphie he said, 'my men are preparing the facilities necessary for the patient. I'm sure Matron would be happy to see yourself and Irvine as well so might I ask that if I leave some of my SeeD here to facilitate the clean up that you might be able to bring them to the orphanage at a later time whilst I transport the survivor and the Sorceress?'

'Hold on a minute we brought Rinoa here and we will-'

'Selphie it's fine,' Rinoa cut in. Smiling slightly she said, 'I'll go with him, I want to be around in case the survivor wakes up. Besides you'll probably get there before us anyway.'

'Hmph damn right I will.' Turning to the Captain she warned him, 'if anything happens to Rinoa I will skin you and turn you into a flying jacket!' Rinoa saw the Captain nod tersely as out of the corner of her eyes she saw Irvine rubbing his temples with one hand as he looked at the ceiling above him, hoping for an escape route. The Captain started walking down the ramp as she gave Selphie a long hug, whispering her thanks all the while cringing at the thought of her petite, fun loving friend skinning anything let alone the stern White SeeD Captain. Next she turned to Irvine who had a sheepish grin on his face.

'Thanks Irvine for…you know watching out for me and all.'

'Not a problem darlin' although next time I will have to charge you for it, bein' a mercenary and what not,' he answered with a small chuckle. Rinoa punched him lightly on the shoulder before drawing him in for a hug as well. 'Oh one more thing before you go Rin I need to give you something!' Irvine pulled himself out of Rinoa's grasp as he reached around behind the crate he was sitting on and pulled up a heavy package about four foot long which was carefully wrapped in a dark material. Gingerly he placed the item in Rinoa's hands the sudden weight of it shocking her. 'It's Squalls gunblade, I wrapped it for you in case it was what caused the vision.'

'Thank you,' she uttered in reply, her words getting caught in her throat. She felt Irvine's hand come down on her shoulder reassuringly before he spun her around and pushed her gently towards the exit ramp.

'See you in a couple of days,' he called after her, waving as he did so. After Rinoa left the craft Selphie stood there with her arms crossed and a steady glare fixed on her boyfriend.

'What?' he asked with a faltering smile.

'Stop flirting with other girls,' came her reply, steady and cold. Irvine mouth dropped open as he tried to think of a way to defend himself from Selphie's accusations.

'Wha…I wasn't, I wasn't flir-' but before he could finish Selphie had pounced on him wrapping her legs around his waist. Just managing to keep his balance he instinctively placed his hands on her bum.

'I know,' she said with a knowing grin before planting a passionate kiss on his still shocked lips. This time he couldn't keep his balance and fell backwards with a thump, with Selphie still kissing him.

* * *

Rinoa was given one of the small single bedded cabins on board the White SeeD ship, it was sparsely decorated and held no personal effects of any kind. The room itself was made from the same wood as the main deck above her head giving her a slight claustrophobic feeling. The SeeD who had shown her to the room had explained that it was close to the centre of the ship so she shouldn't feel the movement of the waves as bad as she might. She felt the hard mattress as she sat down on the bed but it didn't matter to her as she hefted the heavy weapon that Irvine had given her into her lap. Running her fingers along the length of the blade she felt the rough material that her friend had wrapped it in to protect her in case it was the blade that had given her the vision. Her heart pumped rapidly in her chest as her fingers found their goal, the knot which held the material tight. She gently tugged on the knot until she felt it give way to her persistence, carefully she began to unwrap the hilt of the gunblade making sure not to touch the weapon itself. When she had finished the handle and cartridge chambers were exposed. Lost in the simple elegance of the design of the revolver Rinoa hesitated wondering if touching the gunblade without her friends on board was such a good idea. Nevertheless she once again felt drawn to the blade although it felt different than last time. With the solid pounding of her heart in her breast she made her decision.

Slowly she once again reached for her Knights gunblade.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Hot Light Of Morning

The silken sheets slid through the newborn Sorceress' fingers like water as she woke, stretching to invigorate her muscles that were tired from sleep. Bring her hands back towards her face she rubbed her eyes before slowly opening them. The bedroom was awash with light the very walls spewing forth what seemed to be bright sunlight, the Sorceress blinked rapidly her eyes straining to adjust to the illumination. In the distance she heard a silvery bell chime, notifying the time off day.

'It must be morning,' the Sorceress muttered to herself. Sitting up she allowed the sheets to roll of her body before finally swinging her legs over the edge of the bed to stand up. Pushing her arms outwards she stretched once more savouring the feeling of her tight muscles loosening slightly, pushing away from the bed she was struck by a moments dizziness as the blood rushed to her legs. After regaining her composure she made her way towards the adjoining bathroom she had seen the night before, passing through the wide arched doorway she made her way towards the bath. The bath itself was made of a shimmering white marble which had been sunken into the ground and was about twice the size of any bath she had seen in her life before. She bent down to turn the delicately fashioned handles, steam rising almost instantaneously as the hot and cold waters met in the basin.

Despite its size the bath had filled quickly as the heat and steam filled the room. With beads of perspiration appearing around the Sorceress' neck she walked down the steps carved into the side. The water was beautifully hot as she slid her whole body underneath the surface, the slight ripples made as she entered lapping gently against her skin. Half swimming she made her way to the far end of the bath where she found a shallow seat. Leaning back with her head on the edge she allowed the warmth to sink into her muscles, further loosening them while she relaxed.

Lazily the Sorceress gazed at the bathroom noticing the details she had missed in her haste for a bathe. The walls like the bedroom were currently glowing a brilliant white hazed with a soft yellow but unlike the bedroom the ceiling was much lower affording the light a much more intimate and cosy feel. One of the walls was completely mirrored with a modestly sized sink nestled in the middle at about waist height, the taps were a graceful gold much akin to the ones for the bath, while the toilet was in another corner and had been screened from the rest of the room.

Feeling refreshed of mind the Sorceress cleansed herself of the grime which had accumulated during her fiery initiation, the fragrance of the soaps filling her nose and infusing their scent into her skin. Finally clean the Sorceress pulled the plug of the bath and climbed back out to floor level where she made her way over to the sink. Wiping a hand through the condensation caused by the steam she studied her appearance, her skin was flushed from the heat and her hair was still little more than stubble but she was pleasantly surprised to find her visage as she remembered it. Finding a towel in the cupboard beneath the sink she proceeded to dry herself as she walked back to the bedroom.

Still feeling warm from the bath the Sorceress searched through the built-in wardrobes, finding a light cotton dress which would allow her to cool down. As she slipped the garment on she heard a noise coming from the main chamber where she had killed the previous Sorceress, furtively she walked towards the bedrooms exit with senses alert for any intruders. Carefully she peered around the archways frame into the larger room, the Sorceress suddenly went rigid as she discovered the source of the disturbance.

'What is this?' she hissed dangerously, glowering at the trespasser.

'Ahhh,' came a high pitched squeal in reply quickly followed by the crash of glass as a young initiate dropped a bowl of fruit.

'I have only recently ascended, gone through unimaginable torture and yet they wish to replace me already?' the Sorceress growled picking up a keen-edged food knife from a nearby table. 'Well, I'll have non of it!'

'M-my Lady, no I-I-I'm not here for that,' the girl replied as she hastily retreated, bowing deeply as she did so.

'Oh really?' the Sorceress had an amused grin on her face as she calmly paced after the girl, all the while studying the blade of the knife in her hand. 'Then why are you here?'

Before she could reply the girl fell backwards over a small stool. Sprawled out on the floor the girl lay vulnerable as the Sorceress loomed over her, grinning madly at the fear in the acolytes eyes.

'Now tell me, why are you here?'

'I-I'm your handmaiden my Lady. S-s-surely they told you beforehand?' the Sorceress hadn't been expecting this and she moved away from the girl shocked and attempting to regain her composure.

'Right,' the Sorceress said, still keeping her eyes from the girl. 'What is your name?'

'My name?'

'Yes your name. You do have one don't you girl?'

'Yes my Lady. They call me Vernula…my Lady.'

_A/N: For starters I know this chapter is a little shorter than normal but I didn't feel that it need to be any longer so I hope everyone enjoys it nonetheless. Second I wanted to clear up the issue with the two stories. Basically I'm running two stories parallel to each other in alternating chapters, one of which follows Rinoa in her search for Squall. The other one is set hundreds of years before FF8 and follows the life of a Sorceress imprisoned by the Centrans. I won't go into it anymore because I don't want to give spoilers but the second story will important to Rinoa's story so please bear with me. Once again I hope everybody enjoys and please let me know what you think._


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